Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the Young(ish) Friends of Prison Performing Arts?

The Young(ish) Friends are a group of folks who fund Prison Performing Arts(PPA) programming and raise awareness about PPA in our community. We buy that PPA participants are returning citizens and will share our community with us. We want those citizens to have the tools to thrive on the outside and stay on the outside. Our gifts to PPA teach people how to read, hold eye contact during job interviews and resolve conflicts. Join us!

How old can I be to join? What do you mean by Young(ish)?

We started the group with 45 and under but if we fit your giving style, welcome!

How much is it?

$6.06/Month. Last year we had 606 participants across our programs. We are working for that number to keep increasing, but we also want a reminder of where we started. The cost/month for you will not increase. It’ll always be like you are buying PPA a reasonably priced beer once a month. Each month we hope you think about the 606 people making the choice to improve their lives.

Who are we supporting by funding? Where does that money go?

You are supporting PPA participants - PPA is a very lean organization, the vast majority of our funding is boots-on-the-ground, artists-time-in-facilities.

What do I get for supporting?

Insider Info - PPA Events have great speakers, from all walks. We have had George Lombardi, former Missouri DOC chair, our alumni company, educators and family members of participants. And Updates, we run the numbers every year to see how we impact the System. We’ll share our data with you.

Networking Happy Hours - You are our ambassadors. We want to celebrate PPA successes with you, pick your brains for your ideas and experience, and be on the tip of your tongue when you talk about the cool things you do. Let’s get together once in a while, for a little inspiration party.

Just throw us $6.06/month. Over a year, each member pays for 2 weeks of workshops in a youth detention facility. We have other opportunities to connect, but no big.

I haven't been to a performance, should I go to one before becoming a member?

Up to you, the performances are inspiring. We recommend them! But they can be time-consuming to get to (especially the adult facilities). We encourage you to let yourself off the hook if that's stopping you from joining our team.

What are we asking for?

A bit of your $

Maybe share a post with your friends - if you do that sort of thing

Come to a happy hour - if you can, we know you’re busy.

Ambassadors for PPA - we are trying to get PPA into more Missouri facilities. And we need your voice as a citizen.